Thursday, December 22, 2011

Kindle and Kobos and Nooks

This Christmas season promises to be the “Year of the
eReader” as consumers line up to purchase Kindles and Kobos and Nooks, oh my!
It seems that nearly everyone knows someone who is hoping Santa will leave them
the ereader of their choice. And Kindles, Kobos, and Nooks will certainly be
found in more than a few Christmas stockings.

But what’s all the hype about? Why have readers jumped on
the ebook/ereader band wagon? What’s so great about an ereader anyway?

As an avid reader, I love my Kindle. And my Kobo. And I’d
like a Nook and an iPad. Technology is contagious…and more than a bit
addictive. As an author and publisher, I feel I should have them all so I can
advise readers when they email me and ask me which ereader they should get. At
least, that’s the excuse I’m giving my husband.

I used to be a “no way I’m gonna read novels on a little
screen; I have to feel paper…blah, blah…” kind of reader. Until I got an iPhone
and discovered Kobo and Kindle apps. Even on my iPhone I found I enjoyed
reading on a screen. Then I got my Kobo and Kindle ereaders and I was hooked.

I don’t miss the feel of paper or the smell, like some
readers do. In fact when I pick up a paperback I miss the quick page turn
button. My fingers aren’t as nimble as they used to be, so I struggle with separating
pages in order to turn them. It’s not that I’m 90 years old; I’m in my 40s. But
I have a joint condition that makes even holding open a paperback painful. This
got me thinking: what about readers who have arthritis and other conditions
like mine? Ereaders are the answer!

Over the years I’ve had fans email me to ask if I had large
print paperbacks available. Sadly, I didn’t. Nowadays, ereaders have
obliterated the necessity for a large print paper edition. You can enlarge the
fonts on most ereaders to XXL. If I want a break from my glasses, I can now
take them off, enlarge the print and continue reading.

Kobo Vox colour ereader

I took my Kobo on a cruise to Mexico. While other people prowled
the ship’s meager library for a book to read, I downloaded a few in a minute
and read to my heart’s content. I downloaded a few more at the airport. The
journey to and from the ship seemed short because I always had something to
read.

Waiting rooms don’t bother me anymore. After my car accident
in September, I waited for hours in the ER. I read ebooks on my Kindle while
others fidgeted and complained. I rarely have such uninterrupted reading time;
I took advantage of the pleasure—regardless of my sore back and whiplash. I
suspect I would have been in much more pain if I hadn’t had something to take
my mind off it. A good book on an ereader is a great analgesic.

eReaders aren’t as expensive as they used to be. Amazon,
Kobo Books and B&N have all reduced the price of their base products and
some of their more advanced products, making an ereader an affordable gift for
anyone. You can now buy an ereader for under $100. This is something I (and
many authors) predicted would happen this year.

eBook prices range from very inexpensive (and sometimes
free) to sometimes more expensive than their paper counterpart. The latter I
don’t quite understand. I’m a publisher. There’s no stocking of ebooks in
warehouses to consider. Yes, it’s the same content, but I believe an ebook has
a lesser value than the print version because the platform cost is less. We
consider: content value + platform costs (ebook/print costs) + profit margin =
retail value. As the publisher at Imajin Books, I’ve ensured that our ebooks are
all priced under $5 and our trade paperbacks under $18.

So what’s in your stocking? A Kindle? Nook? Kobo? iPad?
Regardless of which ereader device you get, I can guarantee you’ll love the
experience, especially when you see all the pros. How else can you go on
vacation with 10+ books without having to load up an extra suitcase? J

And now, a free gift from Cheryl and Imajin Books…

Download your free ebook, IMAJIN THIS!, a special chapter
book that lets you try before you buy. You can read the first 3 chapters of
each Imajin Books title for free by downloading the PDF or using the Smashwords
coupon code. http://www.imajinbooks.com/imajin-this.

If you’d like to enter to win free ebooks or paperback or
you don’t have an ereader and would like to enter to win a Kindle Fire, please
check out Imajin Books’ 25 Days of Christmas Giveaways: http://www.imajinbooks.com/contests-events.

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In keeping with Imajin's Holiday spirit, both my eBooks, THE TRAZ and Schrödinger's Cat, are on sale for 99¢ for the entire month of December from all fine online book sellers.

Buy or Sample SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT

About Me

SHADOW RIDERS is my latest release. In this adult crime thriller, she falls in love with her abuser. Eventually she must break that bond—justice for six murdered men depends on it.
In DISPASSIONATE LIES, it is 2035 and the world is in chaos from the criminal collapse of the web. Ladesque is trying to straighten it out so she can uncover the truth about her past. However, finding facts in corrupt data is not easy.
FIREWALLS Book 3 is the latest in my BackTracker Series. This thrilling, police action drama centers on love, PTSD and the fight against crime.
THE TRAZ and FATAL ERROR are Books 1 and 2 in this adventurous series about cops vs bikers on the Alberta prairie--and throw in a 13-year old girl. THE TRAZ also comes in a School Edition complete with a Teaching/Discussion Guide that addresses issues such as gangs, drugs, and depression.
SCHRÖDINGER’S CAT is a psychological sci-fi thriller that explores Quantum Physics’ Many World Theory.
My novels are available in both print and ebook from all popular online book sellers. If they're not on the shelves of your local library or bookstore, ask to have them ordered in.